Conveyor mechanism for feeding articles to packaging machine



April 9, 1957 E. w. CURTIS 2,788,112

coNvEYoR MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ARTICLES To PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 5. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N\\ N Yw JNVENTOR. ffm/L W 602775 rmwy prll 9, 1957 E. w. CURTIS coNvEYoR MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO PACKAGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1952 JNVENTR. T4/PL W 602775 mmm April 9, 1957 E. w. CURTIS 2,788,112

CoNvEYoR MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ARTICLES To PACKAGING MACHINE:

Filed May 5, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 N VEN TOR. [Am 14/ Cz//er/s Bv April 9, 1957 2,788,112

E. W. CURTIS CONVEYOR MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. ha W @apr/5 Arron/v5 Ys United States Patent O CONVEYOR MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ARTI- CLES T PACKAGING MACHINE Earl W. Curtis, Temple, Pa.

Application May 5, 1952, Serial No. 286,160

6 Claims. (Cl. 198-21) This invention is for an improved device for feeding small articles, as for instance toy gun cap rolls or the like, to the conveyor of a machine for packaging the same.

According to the present prevailing practice in the art to which this invention relates, so far as I am aware, toy gun cap rolls are fed to the packaging machine by hand labor, which of course isan item of considerable expense.

Accordingly, one `object of my present invention is to devise a motor-operated means for feeding toy gun cap rolls or other small articles from a hopper to a packaging machine so as to eliminate the cost incident to hand labor for this purpose.

A further object is to devise a motor-operated means for feeding toy gun cap rolls or other small articles in succession to the conveyor of a packaging machine, together with auto-matic means whereby each individual small article will be transferred to the packaging machine conveyor only when it has arrived fully at the proper predetermined position for such transfer.

A further object is to devise such an automatic means that will be operated in synchronism with the operation of the conveyor ofthe packaging machine and that will be actuated by the movement of the packaging machine conveyor itself.

Other objects will appear'from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. l shows my present improved device in elevation;

Fig. 2 shows the same device in elevati-on at ninety degrees to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, in plan, of a part of my present device at the right-hand end of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the enlarged portions appearing in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 illustrates in elevation the c-o-ordination between my present improved device and the conveyor of a packaging machine which, per se, is already well known in the industry;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged View of a part of the mechanism included in my present device as viewed in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational view of another associated part of the mechanism as seen in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan View of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that thereY might be devised various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

The present drawing, to which reference will now be had in detail, illustrates the employment of my present invention lin connection with a machine for packaging toy gun cap rolls although this invention is not limited to this specific adaptation butfmay be employed also in feeding other small articles, as for instance bottles and tubes, to machines for packaging the same.

It is to be noted also that my present motor-operated feeding means is adapted to be conveniently and effectively applied to a packaging machine without involving any change in the mechanism of the packaging machine itself; and this constitutes one of the objects of my present invention, in addition to those above mentioned.

With a supply of toy gun cap rolls R in the hopper 1, they may be picked up and carried therefrom by the endless inclined elevator 2 which has the cleats 3 for picking up these articles from the bottom part of the hopper. The elevator 2 is operated by the drum 4 on the shaft 5 which has sprocket and chain connections 6 and 7 with the sprocket 8 on shaft 9 which, in turn, is geared at 10 to the motor 11. The motor 11, as well as the other parts of this mechanism may be mounted upon any suitable form of frame 12.

From the top of elevator 2 the rolls R will fall by gravity down the spill chute 13 and will be deposited therefrom upon the endless feed belt 14 which extends about the pulleys 14a, 14b, 14e and 14e. A belt take-up is provided at 15 in connection with pulley 14e; and the belt 14 is driven by pulley 16 on shaft 9.

The hopper 1 may be described as having the bottom part 1a, an opening 1b therein for the elevator 2, the chute side 1c, the chute 1d, and the elevator seal 1e.

The belt 14 is of only such width as is necessary to accommodate a row of cap rolls R in single tile; and the excess rolls will fall back into the chute 1a and thence will be returned to the elevator 2.

In passing, it might be explained that the toy gun cap rolls, herein referred to, are about two inches long and about seven-eighths of an inch in diameter; and the section 1a yof the hopper will be filled with such rolls R.

I have positioned the hexagonal drum 17 along the side of the belt 14 for rotation by the belt 18 from the pulley 19 on the shaft 9. The drum 17 rotates upwardly on the side near the belt 14; that is, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 of the present drawings, so as to bump the cap rolls R and to keep them moving and to prevent them from jamming.

In order to ensure continued movement of the cap rolls R down the chute 13, there may be provided a wellknown form of vibrator therefor; and a plow 243 extends over the belt 14 so that, in case one cap roll R should pile up upon another upon the belt 14, the upper one will be removed by the plow 20 and thus there will be ensured only a single row of cap rolls R upon the belt 14 preparatory to passage through the tunnel formed by the frame 12, shield 12a and side guard 12b.

The belt 14 is arranged for travel upwardly along an incline so as to permit the cap rolls R to have end-to-end engagement with each other but to prevent them from becoming crowded together thereupon and to prevent the ends of the successive rolls R from forcefully engaging each other; and the discharge of rolls from the belt 14 will be facilitated.

Now it will be explained that in the present case it is the purpose to transfer the cap rolls R from the belt 14 to the continuously moving conveyor 21 of a packaging machine which may be recognized as including the associate part thereof that is identified by reference numeral 2lb, so that this packaging machine need not be here described in full. I do not claim to be the inventor of this packaging machine per se but rather the organization of the same with the feeding means herein disclosed and the synchronization of their co-ordinated operations so as to accomplish the result herein contemplated.` i

As will be observed from the present drawings, the direction of feeding movement of the belt 14 is at substantially right angle` to the direction of travel of the conveyor 21 of the packaging machine indicated by the arrow. Thus the cap rolls R will be fed in a direction across the conveyor 21; and the object is to deposit the cap rolls R successively in the Wells 21a of the conveyor 21. Each cap roll R, as it is fed by belt 14 to substantially horizontal position at the top of its path of inclined travel, will be received within the transfer means illustrated particularly in Figs. and 6 of' the drawings. This means comprises the transfer'arm 22 which is fixed upon the rockable shaft 23 mounted on a horizontal axis upon the bearing brackets 24 in the frame 12. The lower end of the transfer arm 22` has the curvedA guide portion 25 affixed thereto for co-operation with the companion lower curved end portion 26a of the arm 26 which is adapted for rockable movement about the stud 27`which in turn is mounted in the frame 12; such rockable movement being against the tension of the spring 28 about the stud 27. That is, the spring normally tends to force the curved portion 26a towards the companion transfer member 25. A substantially annularly shaped space is afforded by the portions 25 and 26a, into which space each successive cap roll R is positioned by the belt 14 and in which position the cap roll R is ready to be transferred, that is to a well 21a of the conveyor 21.

A guidewing 46, pivoted` on stud 47, is urged inwardly towards the path of travel of the cap rolls R and will guide them into the tunnel formed by the roll-receiving space enclosed between `the curved members 25 and 26a. If two rolls R should not be separated properly, the wing 46 can swing away against the tension of the spring 47 so as to prevent jamming of the arms 22 and 26.

In order `to accomplish the positioning of each successive cap roll R within a well 21a as the conveyor 21 is advanced towards the left, as Viewed in Fig. 5 of the present drawingsfI have devised a means whereby such movement of the conveyor 21 `will effect intermittent movement of the transfer means 22 and 25. It is to be understood, of course, from the present illustration, that the movement of the transfer means is in a direction along the path of movement of the conveyor 21; and, in this way, there will be ensured proper feeding of each cap roll R into a weil 21a in a positive manner.

Coming now to the means for effecting operation of the transfer `means 22 and 25, the feed drive lever 30 is mounted at its upper end on the shaft 31 which is rockable in the frame and has tixedly connected thereto the upwardly extending arm 32 for movement together. The rocking movement of the lever 30 is effected by the engagement of its angular end portion or wing 30u which is adapted to extend into `each successive well 21a and willthus have up and down movement out of and into the` wells 21a as the conveyor 21 moves towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings. Afiixed to the upper end of the arm 32 is the pawl carriage 33 which is given lateral reciprocating movement by the up-and-down movement of the lever 30; and the pawl 34, which is rockably mounted upon the carriage 33, is adapted to engage the lower end of the pawl hook 35 which is fixed upon the same shaft 23 as is also the arm 22. Thus, when the pawl 34 is in engagement with the hook 35, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7, the upward movement of the lever 30, as caused by the movement of the conveyor 21, will cause the transfer means 25 to be moved towards the left, as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6 of the present drawings; and, assuming that a cap roll R has been positioned within the transfer means 25--26a, it will then be transferred from the belt 14 over the apron 36 so as to be deposited in a well 21a. A guide 37 is freely mounted on the pin 37a, with a ,stoppin 38, and is adapted to izo-operate with the apron 36 in ensuring proper delivery of the cap roll R into a well 21a as it is transferred to the conveyor.

As indicated `in Fig. 7, the spring 34a tends to turn the pawl 34 in clockwise direction towards engagement with the hook 35 but such operative. engagement is possible only when a cap roll R has been moved to proper position for transfer from the belt 14 to the conveyor 21. This automatic control comprises the pawl release wing 39 which is rockably mounted at 40 in the frame and has the pawl control hook 41 at the upper end thereof. The release wing 39 extends in the path of the succession of cap rolls R and is so weighted and mounted upon its pivotal point that its lower end 39 will normally be swung towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 4 of the present drawings. The purpose is for each succeeding cap roll R to engage the release wing 39 forautomatic operation thereof.

Normally the control hook 41 is in engagement with the pawl control dog 42 which extends upwardly from the pawl 34; and such engagement between these parts will serve to hold the rear end of the pawl 34 up, against the tension of spring 34a, and consequently to hold the pawl 34 out of engagement with the pawl hook 35. With these parts in such position, the pawl 34 will not be permitted to travel to full line position (Fig. 7), for operative engagement with the hook 35 until a cap roll R arrives at proper transfer position in the space within the transfer means 25 and 26a, whereupon the forward end of the cap roll R, in such position, will abut the pawl release wing 39 and cause the control hook 41 to be moved counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, so as to release the dog 42 and to permit spring 34a to move the pawl 34 towards and to permit engagement with the hook 35 as the pawl 34 is moved with its carriage 33 towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Under these conditions and with the parts in such position, the upward movement of the lever 30 will prove effective, through the pawl 34 and the hook 35, in rocking the arm 22 and its companion arm 26 so as to move a cap roll R from the belt 14 into a well 21a.

As the pawl 34 is moved towards the left (Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings), its forward end will engage beneath the inclined pawl trip shoe 45, which is fixed in the frame, and will be caused thereby to rock counterclockwise about its pivot point sufficiently to disengage the same from the pawl hook 35 which will be snapped quickly by spring 28 towards the right (Fig. 7), to its initial position. Then the lowering movement of the lever 30, as its rear end drops into the next well 21a, will cause the pawl carriage 33 to be moved towards the right (Figs. 5 and 7); and, since the hook 41 is normally in the path of the pawl control dog 42,` such movement of the carriage 33 will cause the dog 42 to engage the hook 41 and to cause the pawl 34 to be tipped counter-clockwise into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The parts are so constructed and timed in their operations that the pawl 34 will not be permitted to turn into position for operative engagement with the hook 35 for operation of the transfer means 25--26a until the next cap roll R arrives at the proper position to engage the wing 39 and to permit the spring 34a to rock the pawl 34 sufficiently for operative engagement with the hook 35 before the pawl 34 has been moved past the hook 35.

My feeding means is so designed and operated asto by synchronized with the operation of the packaging machine and, in this way, the articles will be supplied by the feeding means at the proper rate of speed with respect to the rate of speed of the conveyor of the packaging machine. As a result, there may be obtained a con.- tinuous operation after this combined organization is set into operation with a supply of toy gun cap rolls or other small articles in the hopper.

Taking into account the capacity or quantity production of which t-he present device is capable and the saving in labor that may be reaiized therefrom, it is believed that the pratia'l advantages of this invention will be obvious to those who are familiar with the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. In an article feeding device, the combination of a substantially straight-line conveyor to which the articles are to be fed, means for feeding the articles in succession along a substantially straight line at right angle laterally t-o the path of said conveyor to advanced position in the vertical plane of said conveyor, rockably mounted means for bodily receiving and transferring the articles from such advanced position to said conveyor, means for effect'- ing operation of said transferring means only upon the arrival of an article at a given position with respect to said conveyor, and means actuated by operation of said conveyor for operating said transferring means.

2. In an article feeding device, the combination of a belt for supplying the articles, a conveyor having a substantially straight portion to which the articles are to be fed, an article-receiving guide rockably supported in the plane of and above said conveyor and in line with the path of the articles from said belt so as to bodily receive the same therefrom in succession, and means for actuating said article-receiving means only upon arrival of an article therewithin for transferring the article to said conveyor, and means actuated by operation of said conveyor for operating said transferring means.

3. In an article feeding device, the combination of a conveyor with a succession of wells to receive the individual articles, means for moving the articles in succession to a predetermined position with respect to said conveyor, means including a lever actuated by co-operative engagement with the succession of wells in said conveyor and a pawl and hook mechanism adapted for operation thereby for bodily engaging and transferring the articles in succession from said predetermined position to the wells in said conveyor, and means controlled by the arrival of the successive articles at said predetermined position for determining the operation of said transferring means.

4. In an article feeding device, the combination of a conveyor adapted to receive a succession of articles, article-transfer means swingingly positioned adjacent said conveyor and having a lower mouth adapted to bodily receive the succession of articles at a predetermined position with respect to said conveyor and to bodily transfer the same to said conveyor, means for delivering the articles from a source of supply to position within said mouth, means actuated by movement of said conveyor for effecting swinging movement of said article-transfer means, and means controlled by the arrival of the articles at said predetermined position for determining the operation of said article-transfer means.

5. In an article-feeding device, the combination of a conveyor adapted to receive a succession of articles, ar'- ticle-transfer means swingingly positioned adjacent said conveyor and having a lower mouth adapted to bodily receive the articles successively at a predetermined position with respect to said conveyor and to bodily transfer the same to said conveyor, means for delivering the articles from a source of supply to position Within said mouth, releasable pivotally mounted latch means for preventing operation of said article-transfer means, means actuated by the arrival of an article at said predetermined position for releasing said latch means, and means actuated by movement of said conveyor for effecting swinging operative movement of said article-transfer means.

6. In an article-feeding device, the combination of a conveyor adapted to receive a succession of articles, article-transfer means swingingly positioned adjacent said conveyor and having a lower mouth adapted to bodily receive the articles successively at a predetermined position with respect to said conveyor and to bodily transfer the same to said conveyor, means for delivering the articles from a source of supply to position within said mouth, a rockably mounted reciprocatable pawl for actuating said article-transfer means, means for normally rocking said pawl to operative position, releasable pivotally suspended latch means for holding said pawl in inoperative position, means actuated by arrival of an article at said predetermined position for releasing said latch means so as to free said pawl, and means actuated by movement of said conveyor for effecting operative movement of said pawl for actuation of said article-transfer means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,615 Hoepner Nov. 3, 1925 1,589,079 Johnson et al June 15, 1926 2,209,340 Landry July 30, 1940 2,341,265 Crawford Feb. 8, 1944 2,345,310 Willoughby Mar. 28, 1944 2,511,714 Keller June 13, 1950 

